Idalium
Idalion or Idalium (Greek: Ιδάλιον, Idalion, Phoenician: 𐤀𐤃𐤉𐤋, ʾDYL, Akkadian: e-di-ʾi-il, Edīl) was an ancient city in Cyprus, in modern Dali, Nicosia District. The city was founded on the copper trade in the 3rd millennium BC. Its name does not appear, however, on the renowned "Kition Stele", i.e., the Sargon Stele of 707 BC, but a little later on the Prism of Esarhaddon (copies of the text dated to 673-672 BC) known as Niniveh A (Nin. A) wherein the name is prefixed by the modifier URU (city) as URU.e-di-ʾi-il (v. 64) and in similar spellings in Ashurbanipal's annal (648/647 BC) while modified by KUR (land/kingdom) (KUR.e-di-iʾ-li, ii. 38').
Ιδάλιον | |
Map showing the ancient city Kingdoms of Cyprus; Idalion is inland at center right | |
Shown within Cyprus | |
| Location | Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Region | Nicosia District |
| Coordinates | 35°00′57″N 33°25′23″E |
| Management | Cyprus Department of Antiquities |
Recent excavations have uncovered major buildings on the site which are open to visitors. A new museum is at the entrance of the site.